Good news for Mobile users; No roaming charges from 2013

New Delhi, Sept 24: Good news for mobile phone users in India. Telecom ministry has decided to remove roaming charges from 2013. Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal on Monday, Sept 23 stated that mobile phone subscribers will not have to pay extra charges while travelling or staying in a different state.

Responding to a query on the timing of removing roaming charges as proposed in the National Telecom Policy (NTP) 2012, Sibal said, "Our secretary has told you that it will be free from next year."

Members of NTP 2012, earlier in May 2012, had announced that mobile phone users would be allowed to use the same number across the country without having to pay extra charges for services once they are outside their telecom circle.

R Chandrashekhar, Telecom Secretary, stated, "We are first going to attend to all issues linked to auction. The moment NIA is issued this week, we will focus on UL. After details of full UL is worked out, the modalities for free roaming will follow."

The Department of Telecom (DoT) is currently working on Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) for spectrum auction after which it will work on unified licence (UL) guidelines. US is also a part of NTP 2012, informed Chandrashekhar.